Bothell mayor admits to affair with intern, denies other allegations in lawsuit

A former employee of the North Creek Law Firm in Bothell is suing the business, Bothell Mayor Mark Lamb and his wife Kim, for wrongful termination and invasion of privacy in connection with an alleged two-year affair between the employee and the mayor.

In an answer to the complaint filed in Snohomish County Court on Nov. 8, the mayor admits to a sexual relationship with the woman but denies most other claims in Mae’s suit. In a counterclaim, the Lamb’s are requesting that the suit be dismissed and Mae pay all court and attorney fees.

“My lawyers have advised me not to comment on this lawsuit against myself, my wife and my law firm,” said Lamb. “We will have no further comment until the conclusion of this matter.”

Lamb has served as Bothell’s mayor for six years.

“We will be vigorously defending Mr. Lamb in this matter,” said Lamb’s lawyer Christine A. Slattery in an email. “We dispute the claims, and believe the suit to be frivolous. Unfortunately, public figures are often the target of frivolous lawsuits. We will have no further comment.”

Mae and the mayor’s relationship began in 2010 when the woman was working at Masala Bar and Grill in Bothell. According to court documents, Lamb and another unidentified member of the Bothell City Council, ate dinner at Masala when Lamb allegedly met and obtained Mae’s phone number.

After a few days of speaking on the phone, the woman claims that Lamb invited her to come with him and Bothell Deputy Mayor Joshua Freed to a conference in Las Vegas. Mae claims that she declined the invitation, according to the complaint.

But the two had their first “date” shortly after and their relationship allegedly became sexual in nature. Her relationship with the mayor allegedly caused a problem with her employer as he was a client of the North Creek Law Firm. Lamb suggested that Mae quit her job and then allegedly provided her with $3,000 a month on an intermittent basis after she moved to Lynden, the complaint continued.

Mae claims that Lamb asked her to quit her job at a wireless company and move back to Bothell later that year. Lamb allegedly paid for Mae’s move back to Bothell and continued to intermittently support her financially as the two continued to see each other.

During the relationship Lamb suggested that Mae come work for his law firm, the documents continue. He eventually offered to support her in attending Edmonds Community College’s paralegal program. The woman eventually accepted the offer and began working at the North Creek Law Firm in November 2011 as an intern for $3,000 a month with the caveat that their personal relationship end, according to the complaint. Mae also allegedly told Lamb that she intended to start seeing other men.

But Mae alleges that Lamb never paid her more than $1,500 a month and “had to beg to be paid.”

Lamb states in legal documents that Mae was a paid intern for the firm starting in November 2011 and was paid $1,500 a month but denies all other allegations.

In January, the two allegedly restarted their sexual relationship upon Lamb’s request, frequently having sex in Lamb’s office, the documents continue.

Mae states in the complaint that while she was employed at the firm, Lamb was more demanding and “asserted power and control over the situation.”

“Mae felt pressured to succumb to Lamb’s advances. She was financially dependent on Lamb,” states the complaint. Lamb stated in court documents that the sexual relationship was “consensual.”

Their sexual relationship allegedly continued for months almost entirely in Lamb’s office during working hours.

In March, Mae decided to terminate the relationship and stated that she “no longer wanted to be treated like his ‘whore,’” the complaint continues.

Later that same month Lamb allegedly saw Mae printing out information on a person she was considering dating, which sparked a heated argument between the two. She was fired the next day when she returned to the office, the documents continue.

Since being terminated, Mae claims that her social media and phone have been accessed by unauthorized individuals.

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